Senior Propulsion Development Engineer, Component Testing

Company Overview:  

At Relativity Space, we have two audacious goals: to build the next great commercial launch company with Terran R and to become America's leading force in additive manufacturing innovation. Both contribute to our long-term vision of creating humanity’s industrial base on Mars, paving the way for interplanetary life to expand the possibilities of the human experience. This journey begins right here on Earth – where we design, build, and fly rockets to deliver customer payloads to orbit. Terran R, our medium-to-heavy lift reusable rocket, fulfills the growing demand for launch capacity, thanks to our iterative approach that accelerates design, testing, and development while minimizing costs. While our groundbreaking research and development in 3D printing pushes the boundaries of large-scale additive manufacturing.

Your journey with us is more than just a job – it’s an opportunity to shape the future of aerospace technology, additive manufacturing, and the human experience alongside a community of passionate, creative individuals. Join us on this extraordinary journey, as we work together to transform our vision into reality.

Team:  

This role is on the Component Test Team, within the Engine Systems & Test team. Our work spans simulation & software tools; system-level architecture, requirements, and interfaces; component & integrated system hot-fire testing; and more. We collaborate closely with component engineers, our manufacturing team, our Stennis test team, and our Cape launch team to deliver engines that will successfully propel the Terran R rocket to orbit. We strive for continuous improvement and support the development of our technical hardware and human teammates alike.

What you’ll do: 

This role may span several areas of our team depending on your skillset and the team’s needs at the time. In the test part of your role, you will serve as a Responsible Engineer for a variety of propulsion test articles such as combustiondevices, valves, heat exchangers, or other Aeon engine subsystems. Working closely with product owners, you will develop test plans and execute test campaigns with our Stennis team. You will own the exploratory operation of new and existing test articledesigns, diving deep into the evaluation of test hardware behavior in support of continuous engine development and certification. 

On the systems side, you may support engine subsystem troubleshooting, partner team product investigations, and more. As our vehicle development program progresses, you may have the opportunity to be involved in stage test and flight campaigns. You will also take ownership of projects of your creation to increase our collective efficiency.

In order to be successful in this role, you should be capable of leading collaborative projects to completion with minimal oversight. You should also be a self-starter who is always looking for ways to improve yourself & learn more about the systems that interface with yours. Along with these high expectations comes the opportunity to have a significant influence on a fast-growing startup company and to make rapid professional gains in an environment that encourages growth and risk.

This role requires an average of 25% travel to our test & launch sites.

This role may occasionally require weekend work for critical milestones.

What you need to know:  

• Strong engineering fundamentals in fluid mechanics & thermodynamics
• Familiarity with test operations environments
• Clear evidence of ownership, problem-solving skills, professional collaboration, and enthusiasm for providing mentorship
• Demonstrated drive to deliver on ambitious schedules, especially if unconventional solutions are necessary to do so
• Bachelor’s degree in a science, engineering, technology, or mathematics field
• 5+ years relevant experience, preferably in a complex engineering system development and/or test environment
• Working knowledge of at least one of the following:
  • Combustion Devices, Valves, Heat Exchangers, or Instrumentation

Relativity Space offers competitive salary and equity, a generous vacation policy, an annual L&D stipend and more! 

We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at our company. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.